Phys.org news tagged with:humidityhttp://phys.org/
en-usPhys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine.Just add water: New discovery in plant-disease mechanismWe all know that when it rains, plants grow. When it doesn't, they don't.http://phys.org/news/2016-11-discovery-plant-disease-mechanism.html
Biotechnology Wed, 23 Nov 2016 15:45:50 ESTnews399138341Carbon emissions from logging debris in Africa may be vastly underestimatedLogged forests in Central Africa may contain more than three times as much carbon-emitting woody debris left on the forest floor after logging than previous estimates have suggested, a new Duke University-led study finds.http://phys.org/news/2016-10-carbon-emissions-debris-africa-vastly.html
Environment Tue, 04 Oct 2016 04:24:09 ESTnews394773840'Sun and rain' detail how nanoparticles can escape from plastic coatings into the environmentIf the 1967 film "The Graduate" were remade today, Mr. McGuire's famous advice to young Benjamin Braddock would probably be updated to "Plastics … with nanoparticles." These days, the mechanical, electrical and durability properties of polymers—the class of materials that includes plastics—are often enhanced by adding miniature particles (smaller than 100 nanometers or billionths of a meter) made of elements such as silicon or silver. But could those nanoparticles be released into the environment after the polymers are exposed to years of sun and water—and if so, what might be the health and ecological consequences?http://phys.org/news/2016-10-sun-nanoparticles-plastic-coatings-environment.html
Bio & Medicine Sat, 01 Oct 2016 16:40:20 ESTnews394558785During drought, dry air can stress plants more than dry soilNewly published research by Indiana University scientists finds that low relative humidity in the atmosphere is a significant, growing and often under-appreciated cause of plant stress in hot, dry weather conditions.http://phys.org/news/2016-09-drought-air-stress-soil.html
Environment Mon, 05 Sep 2016 11:00:03 ESTnews392269878Photographing sneezes at high speed may help find ways to reduce spread of disease(Phys.org)—A team of researchers at MIT led by Lydia Bourouiba has discovered some new properties of sneeze clouds by photographing them with high speed cameras and then studying the footage. In their paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the researchers note that the physics of a sneeze cloud are more complicated than might be expected from such a simple event.http://phys.org/news/2016-08-high-ways-disease.html
General Physics Mon, 29 Aug 2016 08:40:02 ESTnews391676110By 2050, the US wildfire season will be three weeks longer, up to twice as smokyResearch by environmental scientists at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) brings bad news to the western United States, where firefighters are currently battling dozens of fires in at least 11 states.http://phys.org/news/2016-08-wildfire-season-weeks-longer-smoky.html
Environment Thu, 18 Aug 2016 08:18:59 ESTnews390727112No more dry mucous membranes when flyingHovering at around 20 percent, the relative humidity in aircraft is kept very low to keep condensation from building up in the cabin. The downside for passengers and the crew is that this dries out the mucous membranes. Now a vortex ring generator will direct humidified air to passengers, increasing the humidity of the air they breathe without causing the overall relative humidity to skyrocket.http://phys.org/news/2016-08-mucous-membranes.html
Engineering Mon, 01 Aug 2016 07:45:06 ESTnews389256295Disposable, ultrafast optical humidity sensors provide better moisture control for manufacturing and storageA*STAR researchers have designed a low-cost, stable and ultrafast responsive sensor that is easy to manufacture, overcoming the challenge of producing a simple, fast and highly sensitive version.http://phys.org/news/2016-07-disposable-ultrafast-optical-humidity-sensors.html
Engineering Wed, 27 Jul 2016 08:00:03 ESTnews388823637'Jumping film' harnesses the power of humidityScientists from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) and the University of Tokyo have developed a film that curls up and straightens out autonomously when exposed to tiny, barely measurable changes in ambient humidity. When irradiated with ultraviolet light, which causes changes in the film's ability to absorb and desorb water, it can even "jump" into the air.http://phys.org/news/2016-07-harnesses-power-humidity.html
Nanomaterials Mon, 18 Jul 2016 11:00:02 ESTnews388057395Weird, water-oozing material could help quench thirstAfter their nanorods were accidentally created when an experiment didn't go as planned, the researchers gave the microscopic, unplanned spawns of science a closer look.http://phys.org/news/2016-06-weird-water-oozing-material-quench-thirst.html
Materials Science Mon, 13 Jun 2016 11:00:08 ESTnews385016313Mars rover scientist hopes to find more evidence of liquid waterAlthough the existence of liquid water on the Red Planet was confirmed by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) last year, the scientific community is gearing up for a more thorough analysis of the topic that could be provided by the Curiosity rover, studying the Martian surface in-situ. Raina Gough of the University of Colorado Boulder, a chemist in the Curiosity rover's research team, hopes to discover more evidence of liquid water by investigating chemical processes like deliquescence, found to occur also on Mars.http://phys.org/news/2016-05-mars-rover-scientist-evidence-liquid.html
Space Exploration Tue, 17 May 2016 05:41:51 ESTnews382682502A 'sixth sense' for humidity helps insects stay out of climatic troubleThe amount of water vapor in the air – humidity – profoundly alters our experience of the environment around us. A hot, dry morning in the desert of California feels miles apart from a hot, sticky one in the Cambodian jungle.http://phys.org/news/2016-05-sixth-humidity-insects-climatic.html
Plants & Animals Mon, 16 May 2016 07:33:32 ESTnews382602798Scientists are first to discover sensory system that detects air humidityHumidity can make us feel miserable—think of sultry summer days in Chicago, for example—but humans do not have dedicated sensory systems in the skin to detect water vapor in the air. Most insects, for whom humidity levels can mean life or death, do have such systems, but little has been known about how they work.http://phys.org/news/2016-05-scientists-sensory-air-humidity.html
Environment Plants & Animals Fri, 06 May 2016 08:00:54 ESTnews381740380Nanocrack coating allows membranes to work in high temperature, low humidity environments(Phys.org)—A team of researchers with members from institutions in South Korea and Australia has developed a coating for membranes used in fuel cells and many other applications that allows it to continue to perform at a high level even as temperatures rise and humidity drops to levels that normally cause performance to suffer. In their paper published in the journal Nature, the team describes their coating, how it works and the different materials that can be improved through its use. Jovan Kamcev and Benny Freeman with the University of Texas at Austin have published a News & Views article in the same journal issue describing the work done by the team and the many ways that the membrane coating has been successfully tested.http://phys.org/news/2016-04-nanocrack-coating-membranes-high-temperature.html
Nanophysics Thu, 28 Apr 2016 08:30:01 ESTnews381050692Windfarms generate microclimates with uncertain effects on peatland carbon storeThe microclimates created by the action of wind farms is unlikely to affect the ability of peatland to capture carbon, scientists consider.http://phys.org/news/2016-04-windfarms-microclimates-uncertain-effects-peatland.html
Environment Fri, 22 Apr 2016 09:19:08 ESTnews380535546Water flow in Mediterranean rivers will fall by 34 percent by the end of the centuryThe rising global average temperature induced by climate change will cause regions such as the Mediterranean Basin to become drier and more arid, in turn directly affecting the availability of water. A study has revealed that river flows in this zone will decrease in headwaters, on average, by as much as 34 percent by the year 2100—a figure that will reach 50 percent during the autumn months.http://phys.org/news/2016-03-mediterranean-rivers-fall-percent-century.html
Environment Fri, 18 Mar 2016 10:10:02 ESTnews377511885What makes penguin feathers ice-proofHumboldt penguins live in places that dip below freezing in the winter, and despite getting wet, their feathers stay sleek and free of ice. Scientists have now figured out what could make that possible. They report in ACS' Journal of Physical Chemistry C that the key is in the microstructure of penguins' feathers. Based on their findings, the scientists replicated the architecture in a nanofiber membrane that could be developed into an ice-proof material.http://phys.org/news/2016-02-penguin-feathers-ice-proof.html
Materials Science Wed, 24 Feb 2016 13:02:13 ESTnews375541326An innovative air conditioning system enabling 27 percent savingsTecnalia is leading the development of an innovative air conditioning system enabling savings of 27% to be made. The system that goes by the name Hybrid Liquid Desiccant System-HLDS combines the technology of liquid desiccants to dehumidify the air with conventional technology on which air-conditioning is based (compression cycles for cooling) and allows humidity and temperature to be independently controlled.http://phys.org/news/2016-02-air-conditioning-enabling-percent.html
Energy & Green Tech Mon, 15 Feb 2016 08:53:20 ESTnews374748760Spider webs yield clues to stickier gluesSpider webs are notoriously sticky. Although they only take a second to swat down, shaking them off your hands can be an exercise in frustration. But that stubborn tackiness could come in handy when designing smart synthetic adhesives that could work even in the most humid conditions. In the journal ACS Nano, scientists report new insight toward that goal.http://phys.org/news/2015-11-spider-webs-yield-clues-stickier.html
Materials Science Wed, 18 Nov 2015 11:27:48 ESTnews367068458Fireworks are fun but can reduce visibilityScientists at the University of Birmingham have discovered that there is a sharp reduction in visibility caused by fireworks and bonfires on Guy Fawkes' night. They found that visibility was further decreased when the relative humidity was high.http://phys.org/news/2015-11-fireworks-fun-visibility.html
Environment Mon, 02 Nov 2015 10:07:53 ESTnews365681264Why we think the weather affects how a cricket ball swings ... when it doesn'tFollowing the rollercoaster 2015 Ashes series, which saw England defeat Australia 3-2, the two teams are set to meet again in a series of one-day games – weather permitting, that is. It's been a cloudy and humid summer in much of the UK, and if you believe folklore, that might have been affecting the games.http://phys.org/news/2015-08-weather-affects-cricket-ball-doesnt.html
Other Mon, 31 Aug 2015 07:20:01 ESTnews36022215521 dead as temperatures soar in Egypt heatwave: ministryTwenty-one people have died and 66 others were hospitalised with exhaustion as soaring temperatures and high humidity hit Cairo and other parts of Egypt, the health ministry said Monday.http://phys.org/news/2015-08-dead-temperatures-soar-egypt-heatwave.html
Environment Mon, 10 Aug 2015 05:46:16 ESTnews358404367How the legs of water striders repel water(Phys.org)—Materials scientists study biology at nanoscale in order to incorporate mechanical solutions to problems that have already been resolved by evolution. This biomimicry is evident in much recent technology, including Velcro material inspired by Alpine seeds clinging to dog fur, materials with self-healing capabilities, and synthetic melanin films inspired by bird feathers.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-legs-striders-repel.html
General Physics Mon, 20 Jul 2015 09:20:07 ESTnews356517949Using drones for better cropsA study carried out by researchers from Robotics and Cybernetics Research Group (RobCib) at Centre for Automation and Robotics (CAR) has used a drone to measure the temperature, humidity, luminosity and carbon dioxide concentration in a greenhouse. The capacity of an aerial vehicle to move in three-dimensional space and to place the sensor at any point have clear advantages over other alternatives such as the sensor networks. Thus, the use of this technology can help improve the climate control systems and monitor crops.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-drones-crops.html
Engineering Mon, 13 Jul 2015 08:40:03 ESTnews355994301New fog chamber provides testing options that could improve security camerasFog can play a key role in cloaking military invasions and retreats and the actions of intruders. That's why physical security experts seek to overcome fog, but it's difficult to field test security cameras, sensors or other equipment in fog that is often either too thick or too ephemeral.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-fog-chamber-options-cameras.html
Engineering Wed, 17 Jun 2015 08:20:01 ESTnews353746735Heating can damage the artistic heritage of churchesThe antiquated heating systems in many Spanish churches create abrupt variations in temperature and humidity which can negatively affect the conservation of its artistic heritage, especially in tall ceiling areas. Also, as the heat rises, it takes time for the parishioners below to feel comfortable after the heating systems are turned on. These are the findings of an analysis conducted on a church in Madrid by researchers from the Institute of Geosciences (UCM-CSIC).http://phys.org/news/2015-04-artistic-heritage-churches.html
Energy & Green Tech Fri, 10 Apr 2015 06:55:47 ESTnews347867739Tiny bio-robot is a germ suited-up with graphene quantum dotsAs nanotechnology makes possible a world of machines too tiny to see, researchers are finding ways to combine living organisms with nonliving machinery to solve a variety of problems.http://phys.org/news/2015-03-tiny-bio-robot-germ-suited-up-graphene.html
Nanomaterials Tue, 24 Mar 2015 14:14:31 ESTnews346425261Scientists race to halt decomposition of world's oldest mummiesAt least two thousand years before the ancient Egyptians began mummifying their pharaohs, a hunter-gatherer people called the Chinchorro living along the coast of modern-day Chile and Peru developed elaborate methods to mummify not just elites but all types of community members—men, women, children, and even unborn fetuses. Radiocarbon dating as far back as 5050 BC makes them the world's oldest man-made mummies.http://phys.org/news/2015-03-scientists-halt-decomposition-world-oldest.html
Archaeology & Fossils Tue, 10 Mar 2015 07:05:40 ESTnews345189929Slowly evaporating particles refute assumption used in air quality and climate modelsUbiquitous carbon-rich aerosol particles created by emissions from cars, trees, and other sources alter our climate and affect air quality. Until recently, the properties of these aerosols were hard to experimentally characterize, forcing computational models to rely on unsupported assumptions. For several years, scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have chipped away at these notions. They have provided hard data about viscosity, shape, morphology, volatility, and other fundamental particle properties. Recently, the team tackled how the particles, called secondary organic aerosols (SOAs), evaporate when the relative humidity is high. They found that these aerosols actually evaporate very slowly, sticking around for days.http://phys.org/news/2015-02-slowly-evaporating-particles-refute-assumption.html
Earth Sciences Thu, 12 Feb 2015 06:19:51 ESTnews342944379Safety agency to push for national air bag recall (Update)The federal government is demanding that the auto industry recall millions of additional cars equipped with faulty air bags that can injure—and even kill—a driver.http://phys.org/news/2014-11-safety-agency-national-air-bag.html
Other Tue, 18 Nov 2014 17:51:55 ESTnews335555410